PS

This morning I had an email from Richard Dyer who kindly sent me the program from the Met archives of the Otello I heard in Cleveland all those years ago. Richard was for many years the chief music critic on the Boston Globe and has a vast knowledge of music and musicians. He has written wonderful reviews of the work John did at Harvard, as well as offering a magnificent eulogy for John after his death in 2008. He has also written great reviews of several of my students, including Lorraine Hunt Lieberson and Janet Brown. He is a good friend to have.

Here is the cast list from April 9, 1949 (I was a year off in my date);
Otello-----Ramon Vinay
Desdemona------Licia Albenese
Iago------Leonard Warren
Emilia-----Martha Lipton
Cassio------John Garris
Lodovico-------Nicola Moscona
Montàno-----Clifford Harvuot
Roderigo-----Leslie Chabay
Herald-----Philip Kinsman

Conductor---Fritz Busch

Richard wrote that he saw the next Cleveland Otello in 1959 with Mario del Monaco, Zinka Milanov, and Leonard Warren. He was living in Cleveland at the time.

When I came to New York City in 1950 to finish my undergraduate work at Columbia University, I studied voice with Mrs. William E. Neidlinger. Clifford Harvuot (the Montàno from the Cleveland production) had the lesson just before mine, which is probably why I decided to spend my performing time at the keyboard rather than as a singer. My 20 year old baritone suffered in comparison with his enormous voice, even heard through the closed door. Jean Madeira, the great mezzo-soprano also studied with Mrs. Neidlinger. Mrs. N. had a bulldog who had been returned from the Canine Corps of World War II. He was leashed to the piano leg and gave menacing looks at all of us students who were pretty much plastered against the far wall. As a result, we all had exemplary posture.

Richard has also promised to send me a CD of Lorraine singing Das Lied von der Erde with the Netherlands Philharmonic under Edo de Waart in 1999. I am eternally grateful for this kindness.

My many thanks to Richard for setting me straight. As I told him, I was dredging these memories up from 60-some years ago.

Wow! Leonard Warren as Iago! No wonder I remember that performance.